Improvement in car-couplings



UNITED STATES rrr-cn.

PATE

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 161,096, dated March 23, 1875 application led January 16, 1875.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID Bowne, of Lebanon, in the county of Lebanon and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Gar-Couplings, and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a, part of this specification, andto the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 ofthe drawing is a representation of a Vertical section of my car-coupler.' Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, and Fig. 3 is an end view. Y

This invention has relation to car-couplers which operate automatically to effect a coupling; and the nature of the invention consists in the combination of the parts, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the annexed drawings, A designates a hollow drawbar, preferably of rectangular form, and provided with the usual well-known slotted bunter or face-plate a, in connection with which I propose to show the construction, application, and mode of operation of my improved coupler and uncoupler. B designates a vertically-vibrating angular coupler, arranged in the front portion of draw bar A, pivoted at its lower front angle to the floor of the same, and playing freely through a longitudinal slot, b, cut in the door of the said drawbar, as shown in Fig. 1. The upper end of this coupler abuts against a shoulder, c, forming a part of the ceiling of the chamber of the drawbar A, and is thereby braced and prevented .from being drawn outward when subjected to strain, and its rear edge b is designed to be vertical, or nearly so, to the floor of the drawbar, the said edge being preferably rounding, as shown in Fig. 1. C designates a projection extending rearwardly from the lower edge of coupler B beyond the rear wall of slot b, and resting, when the said coupler is in position, against the under surface of the draw-bar, as

shown in Fig. 2. By means of shouldercand projection C the pivot p of coupler B is relieved of all strain, and its function is reduced to preventing the said coupler from falling through slot b, and to allowing it to vibrate freely thereon for the purpose effecting a coupling and uncoupling. S designates a metallic spring of suitable strength, rigidly secured at its front end to the corresponding end of the draw-bar, extending thence rearwardly under coupler B, engaging with which it is prevent-l ed from lateral displacement by means of a groove, e, in its lower edge. This spring serves t0 hold the angular coupler up into the drawbar shown in Fig. 2; also to cause, by its reaction, the return of the same to this position when it has been vibrated downward in the act of effecting. acoupling or an uncoupling. D indicates an endwise-movable and, preferably, metallic block, aranged within the hollow of the draw-bar in rear of the coupler, and S a suitable helical spring, arranged in the rear of the said block, and bearing against the rear Wallof the draw-bar, as shown in Fig. I. The upper rear edge of this block is provided with a ange, f, for the purpose of guiding block D in its movements in the draw-bar, and its front surface f1 inclined downwardly and rearwardly, a notch, g, being cut transversely across its front at the angle of junction of the said incline with the lower straight part f 2 of the front of the said block, for a purpose hereinafter explained. E designates a bar rigidly secured to the lower edge of coupler B, in a position transverse thereto, and extending beyond the lateral walls of theV draw-bar, as shown in Fig. 3, where it is provided with a cam, F, the same being rigidly secured thereto in any suitable manner. 'lhis cam is adapted to be borne down upon by a second cam, Gr, forming a part of a vertically-vibrating lever, H, which is pivoted at h, to the lower lateral edge of draw-bar A, as shown in Fig. 2.

When two cars to be coupled are brought together, a coupling-link, I, being arranged in one of their draw-bars with its end engaged in notch g of endwise-movable block D for the purpose of holding it in a horizontal position, the free end of this link will be directed against the upwardly-inclined face of vibrating coupler B, whence it will be guided upward against the downwardly-inclined lower surface ot' shoulder c, causing the coupler B to vibrate backwardly, thereby allowing the end of the said link to penetrate into the interior of the draw-head against the incline f of movable block D. The approximation ofthe cars still on bar E, thereby causing the coupler to--vi brate downwardly into the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1, and allowing the cars to be separated.

With a viewto adapting my improved drawbar to be used in cars of different heights from the ground, I have devised the following: The draw-bar A is supported by means of a rectangular frame, J, ofthe same width as, but of greater vertical height than, the draw-bar, so that it is allowed a degree of vertical' play in the said frame, which frame depends from the body of the car. The rear wall or end a of the draw-bar is hinged to a beam, K, rigidly secured in any suitable manner to the framework of the car by means of a strong bolt, L, having an `enlarged head, l, which bolt is passed through a slot, j, cut in rear wall a of the draw bar, into a perforation, k, of beam K, where it is secured by means of a key, m, a helical spring, n, ybeing arranged between the end of the draw-bar and the beam K upon bolt L, for the purpose oi' softenin g the shock` of two cars coming in contact. Draw-bar A-is raised or lowered by means of an angular lever, M, pivoted at o to the end ofthe car, with its end q extending under and across the lower surface of the draw-bar, so that when the power end ot' the said lever is thrust down such actuation will raise the draw-bar; and when a pawl, P, pivoted at r to lever M, is disengaged from a rack, t, upon the end ot the car, the said draw-bar will be lowered, thereby adapting it to be used in con nection with cars of varying altitudes from the ground.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The pivoted coupler B, provided with the transverse bar E and the spring S, in combination with cam -lever G and cam F attached to the transverse bar E, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a draw-bar, A, having slot b and shoulder c, of the vertically-vibrating coupler B, having projection C, sub stantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

DAVID BOWER. Witnesses: A. STANLY ULRICH,

SAM. EL Bniv'rz. 

